Saturday, June 9, 2012

Pedestrian plaza proposed for Newtown Ave

The busy intersection of Newtown Avenue and 33rd Street, next to the popular Athens Café, has been a hazard for pedestrians for years, residents say.

They, along with local businesses owners, will have a chance to discuss their ideas and concerns for how to fix it at a public workshop Tuesday. Representatives from Department of Transportation, the Central Astoria Local Development Coalition and Community Board 1 will be present at the meeting.

At this point, there are no formal proposals, according to the DOT, but one option being considered is a partial closure of Newtown Avenue at 33rd Street to create a pedestrian plaza.

But that plan has some local merchants worried that the potential closure of Newtown Avenue would hurt their businesses and fail to improve traffic conditions, according to City Councilman Peter F. Vallone Jr.’s office.

Some also point out that a pedestrian plaza would lead to the loss of parking spaces.

These won't work in the outer boroughs! They will become hangouts and garbage dumping grounds scattered with broken beer bottles and cigarette butts. We have backyards and city parks that foot the bill. Don't need " pedestrian plazas"!The only ones using those in Manhattan are tourists and the homeless.

I love it. I'm there at least 3 times a day, and that stretch of Newtown does nothing but confuse drivers and pedestrians, resulting in absurd traffic flow. And that's all it does, it's kind of a terrible link. It would be a great place for a farmers market on the weekends, too.

Before you accuse me of being a Vallone schill, ask him, I"m not. I'm a planning nerd. Of course it would work in outer boros, it's not just for Manhattan at ALL.

I walk past this road every day and I think it is a good idea. That intersection is an accident waiting to happen. Cars try to zip down that street for a shortcut to 31st street. It is not an important street for traffic flow.

I think it would be great to make it into a park, with a stage for concerts, an area for a farmer's market on weekends, art displays, and a place for people to sit and rest.

Unfortunately, it probably will turn into a hangout for homeless people like Athens Square Park down the street. It will also become a place where old Greek men hang out to smoke and drink coffee.

Make the park SMOKE FREE!

It's also an historic street so it would be nice if there was something there honoring that. Maybe it can be a park honoring the ethnic diversity of our great neighborhood!

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